Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
Webinar
"World Day of the Sick: Meaning, Goals and Challenges."
10 February 2022, 3:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
CONCEPT NOTE
On February 11, 2022, in the Vatican Basilica of St. Peter's, the XXX World Day of the Sick will be solemnly celebrated with the theme: "Be merciful, as your Father is merciful" (Lk 6,36): to stand by those who suffer on a path of charity. On the occasion of this happy anniversary, the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development is organizing, in addition to the Eucharistic celebration, a Webinar to reaffirm the value of the initiative as this year reaches its 30th edition.
As throughout the centuries, even today, the Church of Christ, led by Pope Francis, strongly feels that the service to the sick and suffering is an integral part of its mission (cf. Dolentium Hominum, 1). Therefore, the celebration of the World Day of the Sick, established by St. John Paul II on May 13, 1992, continues to be an initiative of great importance that, going beyond the mere chronological moment itself, must be understood as a constant and choral action of the whole Church, a healing community, which stands beside those who suffer on a path of charity.
During the Webinar we want to retrace the history of the World Day of the Sick, put it in the context of today and examine how it can still sensitize the people of God, Catholic health care institutions and civil society to the sick who can never be discriminated against, discarded and forgotten. The sick person must always be welcomed, cared for, visited and loved as a person, whose dignity is independent of his illness.
The event is addressed, in particular, to those responsible for the pastoral care of health, social and health workers, chaplains, all those involved in health care, religious men and women and lay people, volunteers, in a spirit of communion and fraternity that has characterized the celebrations of the World Day of the Sick in the particular Churches of various countries from the beginning.
Precisely in this line, Pope Francis reminds us "that closeness to the sick and their pastoral care is not the task only of certain specifically dedicated ministers; [...] it is an invitation that Christ addresses to all his disciples" (Francis, Message for World Day of the Sick 2022).
PROGRAM
MODERATOR: Dr Gianni Cervellera
Doctor in Theology, Pastoral Coordinator at Fatebenefratelli di Cernusco sul Naviglio and Member of the CEI National Council for the Pastoral Care in Health
I. INTRODUCTORY SESSION
15:00 PRAYER
OPENING OF THE EVENT AND WORD OF WELCOME
H.Em. Cardinal Michael Czerny S.I.
Prefect ad interim of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Holy See
15:20 INSTITUTION AND HISTORY OF THE WORLD DAY OF THE SICK
Rev. Fr Carmine Arice
Superior General of the Society of Cottolengo Fathers
President of the Health Commission of the Union of Superiors General (USG)
15:35 VIDEO TESTIMONIES OF A PERSON HEALED FROM COVID-19, A HEALTH WORKER AND A PASTORAL WORKER, ON THE EXPERIENCE, CHALLENGES AND RESPONSES TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
PERSON HEALED FROM COVID-19
Mr. Giovanni De Cerce
Catechist and Member of the Neocatechumenal Way
HEALTH WORKER
Dr. Antonia López González
Physician and Health Coordinator of the Program "Escuelas de Salud Panamazónica" del Esadte and Health Coordinator of the Health Program IPIRANGA BRASIL in the Barca-Ospedale ACI- ESADTE, Brazil.
PASTORAL WORKER
Rev. Fr. Arnaldo Pangrazzi, M.I.
Chaplain and Lecturer in Health Care Ministry
15:45 COMMENTARY: MESSAGE OF THE XXX WORLD DAY OF THE SICK SICK PERSON
Mr. Alberto Iossa
Member of the Italian National Union of Transport for the ill to Lourdes and International Sanctuaries (UNITALSI)
CARE GIVER
Dr. Elvio Coppari
Director UOC Orthopedics and Traumatology, M.G. Vannini Hospital, Daughters of St. Camillus, Italy
II. SECOND SESSION: TESTIMONIES ON THE SIX OBJECTIVES OF WORLD DAY OF THE SICK
16.00 SENSITIZING THE PEOPLE OF GOD AND CIVIL SOCIETY
Joseph Meaney, PhD, KM
President of The National Catholic Bioethics Center, USA
16:10 HELPING THE SICK TO VALUE SUFFERING
Rev. Fr. Johnny Freire
Moderator General, Volunteers of Suffering Center end Silent Workers of the Cross (CVS e SOC)
16:20 INVOLVING DIOCESES, CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES AND RELIGIOUS FAMILIES IN HEALTH MINISTRY
Fra. Giancarlo Lapic
Father Fatebenefratello and Doctor of Moral Theology
16:30 COFFEE BREAK
16:45 ENCOURAGING THE COMMITMENT OF VOLUNTEERS
H.E. Dominique Prince de La Rochefoucauld-Montbel
Bailiff Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion in Obedience Grand Hospitaller, Sovereign Order of Malata
16:55 PROMOTING THE SPIRITUAL AND MORAL FORMATION OF HEALTH WORKERS
Don Sebastian Kondzior
Doctor in Theology, Chaplain of the University Clinical Hospital of Bialystok, Poland
17:05 TO RECALL THE IMPORTANCE OF RELIGIOUS ASSISTANCE TO THE SICK
Dr Maria Elena Bellini
Psychologist at the Hospice Casa San Giuseppe in Gorlago, Italy
17:15 CONCLUSION
Sister Alessandra Smerilli
Secretary ad interim of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Holy See
17:30 END OF THE SESSION
